Adopting Adult Rottweiler. Please share the consideration of adopting Adult Rottweiler over the puppy.?

Question

Below are my questions:
1.What are the potential dangers of adopting adult Rottweiler?
2.Is it hard for the Rottweiler to recognise the new owner and accept his leadership?
3.Will the Rottweiler be kind to the children of this new family?

My family have experienced in handling dogs (GSD, JRT & MinPin). Most of them are small pet (except GSD), but I still respect Rottweiler, and feel that I should not assume that it is an easy pet.

Moreover, Rottweiler is a strong dog, and I wish to know more about the character, as well as behaviour before I start to have one.

Those with experience, please help.

Regards

Err. . . I will consider myself lucky for my experienced with Dogs.

The GSD was very tame. She was my childhood play mate.

The MinPin, yes, behave as if he is the king of all dogs when faced with other bigger sized dogs. But was not too difficult to managed.

I rescused 2 JRT. Yes I do agree that abandoned dogs are grateful to us. One of the JRT, I named him Bubble, was so nice that I don't even leash him while we stroll down the neighbourhood.

I don't even remember heard him bark. He just purr. . . like a cat.

As for Rottweiler, I am looking for adult one. I am concern, as People in Asia (I'm Chinese staying in Thailand) don't always trained their dogs (in my opinion, may not be true), I doubt if I can get any trained Rotties.

Moreover, if it is a responsible owner, why wil they abandoned them? Thus I have consideration over it.

With JRT, they are small, and not that dangerous. But Rotties is BIG!

Answer 1

GREAT!!

The National Breed CLub for Rotties is the American Rottweiler Club and is the ONLY breed club for Rotties recongizd by the AKC.

http://www.amrottclub.org/

Now the best way to adopt is through the Breed Rescue run by the ARC and its local branches.

Here is the list of the regional/local clubs asociated with the national club.

http://www.amrottclub.org/localclubs.pdf

The rescues operated by the breed clubs all place the dogs with people highly experienced with that breed when the dog comes into rescue. They do not open adoptions for the dog until they have been able assess the dog.

Do give serious thought to adopting from an adult from a breed rescue.

The clubs' breed rescues go to a great deal of trouble to determine the dog's
temperment,
personality,
likes and dislikes (particularly kids and cats
and other dogs in the household),
health, and
level of training.

They make a huge effort to match the right dog to the right home - and if they don't have one they think will be suitable for your home, they won't place it.

Great way to avoid the puppy training, newpapers, chewing.......They have dogs that are purebred and sometimes part-bred (1/2 or so of their breed.)

Here are the Rottie breed rescues from the list provided by the parent club to the AKC

http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm

Rottweiler
American Rottweiler Club
Gwen Chaney, [e-mail]

North Carolina Rottweiler Rescue

Southern States Rottweiler Rescue

Rotts Across Texas Rottweiler Rescue

NoVa Rottweiler Rescue League, Inc.

Gingers Rottie Rescue - Las Vegas Nevada

Phoenix Area Rottweiler Rescue

Northeast Rottweiler Rescue

WeCare Rottweiler Rescue, Inc



Now as to the specific questions

(1) Danger of adopting

Actually, if you go through the breed rescue groups, far less than getting a puppy. It is most likely an adult so you know exactly what its temperment is and its health with respect to hereditary conditions. Experienced Rottie people have worked wth the dog and can tell you about the dog.

No getting surprised by having that cute puppy turn out to be a super-Alpha and too guardy.

Moroever, the experienced Rottie people working in breed rescue will alway be available to provide advice and assistance after adoption. (And you will undoubtedly get co-opted to join the local Rottie Club and do obedience classes - a must for any large breed anyhow - and get involved in their activities.)

Be prepared for a LOT of questions from Breed Rescue about your family, your home, why you want the dog, your experience with large guardy breeds, your plans for obedience training (and don't say Petsmart - tell them you want a bona fide obedience trainer who shows AKC obedience competitons and who do they recommend in the area), references - usually one is your vet.......

(2) Is it hard for the Rottie to recognise the new owner and accept his leadership?

Interestingly dogs that come through rescue typically bond even more strongly to the the new family than the dog that has had a perfect life. Whether the dog was a stray and rescue retrieved him from a shelter or he was handed over to rescue by an owner, as far as the dog is concerned he was abandoned, He will be unsure and desperate to belong to someone. Once he learns to trust you and that you won''t leave him, the rescue dog is extremely grateful for having a loving home and clings to his people more so than a dog who had never been abandoned and will exert himself more to please than if he had come to the home as a puppy.

(3) Will the Rottie be kind to the children of this new family

Breed rescue is VERY careful about placing dogs with children. They will make sure that the dog likes and easily accepts children of the ages and sexes of your family. Rescue does not ever want to have an incident of a rescue Rottie harming the children of his new family. They will screen your family and the dog to assure that everyone is compatible.



_____

Go here to read about temperment and training:

http://www.amrottclub.org/breedinfo.htm

Go here to read about introducing the Rottie to the household and owning one:

http://www.amrottclub.org/breedinfo2.htm

If you have handled a GSD, you should do fine. Min Pins are not eactly wall-flowers in the determination department. Anyone who can live with a JRT has the patience of a saint.

Good Luck - if you decide to adopt one, the Rottie breed rescue wwill be the best source as opposed to the local shelter who doesn't have the resources or experience to evaluate the dog in the same detail.

(Had a lot of them in my obedience classes over the years - they are quite good at it by the way. Don't know why everyone is so wary of them - never met one who didn't land in my lap planning kisses. Might be me might be them - who knows?)

Answer 2

(Sorry, thought I had already posted this hours ago!) I respectfully disagree with the poster Platinum above. Yes, Rotties are very loyal. This dog, for whatever reason, has lost her prior family and is now in a shelter. Chances are she will be VERY loyal to the person who adopts her. I've seen it happen many, many times over the years that I'(Sve done rescue work. I personally believe that it's because the dog is so grateful to be back in a family/home situation again. They never forget who took them out of the shelter/pound. Rotties also tend to be very intelligent, so training should not be difficult even though she is an adult. I would say the most important thing you need to find out is why she is at the shelter. Was she given up by her owner and, if so, why? If she was found by Animal Control as a stray, then she may have a tendency to wander and should not be allowed to run loose (instead, walk her on a leash or let out into a fenced yard). You will need to introduce her to your other 3 dogs very carefully. You need to consider the age, sex, and personalities of your 3 dogs when making the introduction - perhaps your vet could give you some advice since he or she should be familiar with your dogs.

Answer 3

1. Potential dangers are inherent with any dog who has not had obedience training, particularly if they are a large dog (i.e., an excited dog may jump up and knock over a child without meaning to harm her), but it is highly unlikely the dog will see it's new family as a potential threat. Rotties are no more likely to behave in this way than any other breed, but it is good you are taking the dogs physical strength into consideration. 2. As long as you are consistent in demostrating YOU are the alpha member in the pack and are consistent in demonstrating the dogs role in his new family, there should be no problem with the Rottie accepting your leadership. 3. I was raised with Rotties and am raising my children with Rotties. As always, it will depend on the dogs past experiences around children. My experience is that Rottweilers are very tolerant of children (i.e. ear pulling, kids sitting on their backs wanting rides, etc.), and protective (they will be seen "counting" the children playing in the yard as if herding the pack and standing between passerbys and the family). They certainly know the difference between friendly visitors and strangers. My hats off to you for adopting an adult animal and giving him/her a chance at a new family. Best of luck!

Answer 4

First off, good for you for adopting an adult dog! That is wonderful. Yes, the Rottweiler is a strong dog, but with the proper training it can be extremely loyal. I know of a Rottie that has saved a child's life more than once. A lot depends on info that you didn't provide (age, where it came from , environment, etc.) The dog will need proper training and if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself, you should invest in a credible training course or trainer (believe me, it is worth it!)
Good luck!

Answer 5

The American Rottweiler Club has information about Rottweilers at http://www.amrottclub.org/rottweilers.htm Even they admit that there can be trouble with an improperly trained and socialized Rottweiler due to their size and strength, and they're known for being aggressive with other dogs, particularly if they haven't been raised together.

Answer 6

1. You don't know what its genetics are like (inherited temperments) or its socializing. With a puppy, you start with a 'clean slate'.

2. I don't see why not. He's being brought into a new pack, and all dogs will try to establish alpha priority.

3. See number one. Children will be children; even the most mildly-mannered child would hug doggy, and try to be well-meaning, and I can't imagine any dog, especially one in a new environment, be so willingly acceptable of this from a stranger.